ShikaIno: flower shop encounter
by blink-1994
Summary: Shikamaru comes to the Yamanaka flower shop to ask for advice on what type of flowers to get his crush...


Don't fall asleep. Don't fall asleep. She kept telling herself. It was fifteen minutes till closing, and the sun was setting over konohagakure. It only added to the dull boredom that was slowly luring the blonde girl to asleep. She was leaning against the counter with her head propped up on her hand, her eyes drooping closed.

Dont... fall... asleep... she thought drowsily, taking a deep breath and trying to steady herself, she closed her eyes and couldn't help relaxing; she was in a state of half consciousness, then she heard it, a sound she hadn't heard for hours, that snapped her out of it. It was the sound of someone entering the flower shop.

Startled, she tried to compose herself but noticed it was none other than her friend and teammate Shikamaru Nara. Relaxed around him, she stretched and yawned lazily.

"Long day?" Shikamaru mused, greeting her though his eyes stayed on the flowers, as if he was looking through each bouquet carefully.

"Very," Ino said with another stretch and a yawn. "There's only been four customers..."

She settled back down at the counter, her eyes sauntering over to her new relief of boredom. It occurred to her that she didn't understand why he would be here.

"Have you come to visit?" She asked, "come to save me from dying of boredom?" she joked tiredy.

He glanced at her for a second as he replied, "no, sorry..." he chuckled, "believe it or not, I actually came to get some flowers. Well... I don't know which flowers to get. Could I ask for your advice? I know red roses are for someone you love, but I think that would be too much for what I need. What kind of flowers would you recommend for... for someone you like, but you're not sure how to tell them?" Shikamaru said slowly, breaking eye contact with her as he glanced back at the flowers.

She swallowed with difficulty, as her throat had become dry. She looked at him looking at the flowers with a softness she hasn't seen before. She didn't know what to say. She never expected to see a side of Shikamaru like this... with him, it was always something being too troublesome, or working on strategies. She never thought there could be a side of him like this, a soft and tender side, yearning to woo a girl. She rather admired it, shocked to see it. She wondered who on earth Shikamaru could have a crush on as she forced an answer out, "W-well, you could get some flowers that are rich in color but not as bold as red," she mustered, trying to seem polite and aloof, uninterested in whom ever the object of his affections was, but the more she tried to push it out of her mind, the more she wondered, who could it be? Why was her heart starting to pound so fast? Why did the knowledge that he liked someone... seem to bother her a bit?

"Either of these bouquets are light mixed with fun pinks and orange," she said, pointing to two arrangements she had done earlier,

"so they could do nicely. I know I'd like to receive them," she added absently, then raised a finger to her lips as she smiled in embarrassment, not knowing why she said that. It was because she was a girl, so she was a good example of what a girl would like, she told herself. That wasnt weird, right? She wasn't butting in on Shikamaru's crush or anything...

She looked up from her thoughts, anticipating his response, but was surprised to see him just looking at her... Her heart began to beat faster at his eyes being on her... His expression seemed gentle and inquisitive, yet she didn't know why it would be.

He averted his eyes after a moment and rubbed the back of his neck as a sort of sheepish smile crept onto his face. It was hard to think as her heart was currently racing but she thought she noticed a slight tinge of pink on his cheeks...

"her favorite color is purple, so this one will actually be perfect," he said, picking up the orange, pink, and purple bouquet she had just showed him.

Her eyes were still on him as his eyes came back to hers. Her favorite color is purple? She thought suspiciously. That sheepish smile... Shikamaru wouldn't be... buying flowers for her, would he? He knew her favorite color was purple, but, would he really do this, and subtly flirt with her like this? Surely she was just being selfish and thinking of herself, it had to be some other girl. After all, Shikamaru would never like her like that, would he?

Having gotten a little carried away by her thoughts, she realized he was waiting for her and came back to reality.

"Want me to ring you up then?" She asked rather abruptly and as Shikamaru nodded, she turned around, whisking back behind the counter.

she felt startled by the difference in his usual behaviour. As she looked into his eyes to tell him how much it would cost, she fell under his gaze, which felt oddly... soft. Was she imaging it? She wondered what it would be like to be the girl he looked at like that. She wanted to see more of that side of him, wondering what it was like. She didn't know he could be like that.

Ino collected Shikamaru's money, her insides squirming as his fingers brushed her hand placing the money in hers.

She thanked him politely, then added irresistibly as the gossip girl in her took over, "so, Shikamaru, I didn't know you had a crush on someone... who is it?"

He seemed surprised by the question and she didn't know if it was just her eyes or if his cheeks were turning pink. She realized she probably seemed a little too interested with how wide her eyes were.

"We'll it's no one you know," he said, rubbing the back of his neck in a Naruto like fashion, "she's from another village so it wouldn't even be worth mentioning..."

"Well what's her name?" Ino tried again, trying to sound casual and not desperate, "you can tell me Shika, we're practically best friends, right?" She said with an earnest smile.

"I'd rather not say," Shikamaru said abrubtly, "I don't want her to find out..." he said and snatched up the bouquet from the counter, "thanks for the flowers though!" He said hastily as he made a b line for the door.

"I won't tell!" Ino called after him but knew it was too late. She smiled in mirth and embarrassment. she felt uneasy, wondering what had gotten into him... or what had gotten into her for that matter. She couldn't get him off her mind as she closed the shop. She couldn't stop picturing her friend, Shikamaru, who had been by her side on so many missions, walking down one of the streets of Konohagakure, hand in hand with some girl. He would be like a totally different person... and she didn't even know that that kind of person existed. Why did she feel like she would be missing out? It wasn't possible she was jealous... after all, Shikamaru was just her friend, as he had always been.

Still, for some reason, she couldn't stop herself from cringing every time she pictured him with a girl. She found herself hating that girl, even though she had no idea who she was. She couldn't explain the feeling she had... it was the strangest thing.

As she laid down to sleep that night, she tried to forget what was bothering her. Maybe she won't even like him back, she thought sleepily. He'll still be my friend, right? She thought. It won't be weird between us if he's involved with someone, will it? I wonder if I won't see him as much...


End file.
